Back in 2003, the US...

Back in 2003, the US firm pulled the covers off the Avenger concept at the Detroit Motor Show, but bosses chose not to use the name on the first wave of Dodge models. Instead, the Caliber compact family hatch arrives in July, while the Nitro SUV will follow in the first half of next year.

Only then will come the modern-day Avenger. While officials have yet to confirm details, they"ve stated that the newcomer will be Ford Mondeo-sized. It"s this car that will resurrect the famous name - but don"t expect anything in the same mould as the classic model.

As with the Caliber, which aims to tempt buyers with a mixture of SUV styling and road-car handling, the new Avenger won"t be a conventional family saloon. Instead, it"s also expected to be a crossover vehicle. A raised ride height will give the commanding driving position favoured in off-roaders, but the car won"t be capable of tackling more than rough surfaces.

Only front-wheel-drive Calibers will be sold in the UK, yet an all-wheel-drive variant is available in the US. The same is likely to be true of the Avenger, which will major on style and value in a market where rivals tend to be more bland than bold. The concept featured a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, but to be a hit on British soil the newcomer will need to have diesel power.

As with Chrysler"s latest models, Dodges benefit from the engineering expertise of sister company Mercedes. This means the Avenger could inherit the German giant"s superb V6 oil-burner. Entry-level variants would offer a cheaper alternative, with the smaller 2.0-litre petrol engine from the Caliber.

Look through the archives, and you will find both Hillman and Chrysler versions of the Avenger. First to go on sale was the Hillman-badged model in 1970, before a revised Chrysler variant appeared in 1976. The last time an Avenger was sold in the UK was in 1981.